Seven Softball Players Named To Academic All-District Teams

BRISTOL, Conn. - Seven South Atlantic Conference softball players have been named to the softball ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District team, it was announced Wednesday.

Three players were named to the first team, and will be eligible for Academic All-American consideration.

Newberry College's Courtney Lindler and Wingate University infielder Megan McPhail were both named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District III softball College Division first team. Carson-Newman leftfielder Katie Speaks earned first team honors for District IV.

Courtney Lindler

Megan McPhail

Katie Speaks

Ashley Green

Kristina Osborn

Leah Krohn

Casey Hanes

Speaks, a native of Manassas, Virginia, started every game for the Lady Eagles, hitting .361 with 15 doubles and 22 RBI. She has been named to the Carson-Newman College Dean's List after posting a 4.0 grade point average and is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, leading a team Bible study. She is also a volunteer at the Lakeway (TN) Mental Retardation Center and organizes Wellness Steeple activities at Carson-Newman.

Speaks and her Eagle teammates will take on USC Upstate in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional tournament in Columbus, Georgia at 4:30 Wednesday.

Lindler, a senior shortstop from Irmo, S.C., has earned a 3.59 grade point average while majoring in Physical Education, is one of four infielders on the first team. She is also a first team DAKTRONICS All-South Atlantic Region player and was named the second team all-South Atlantic Conference shortstop.

Two Wingate University softball student-athletes have been named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball teams (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). Senior second baseball Megan McPhail (Wade, N.C.) was named to the Academic All-District III softball first team, while senior pitcher Ashley Green (Charleston, S.C.) was named to the Academic All-District III softball second team.

Megan McPhail is a four-year starter at second base for the Bulldogs, starting all 57 games in 2007. She was a two-time first team NFCA All-South Atlantic Region pick, earning regional distinction in 2005 and 2006. Her accomplishments this year were extraordinary, considering the fact McPhail played the entire 2007 season with a fracture in her back. A Sociology major, McPhail holds a 3.63 GPA. McPhail is a repeat choice, as she was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball second team.

In 2007, she hit .362 with team-highs in doubles (15), RBI (50), walks (22), HBP (13), on-base percentage (.461), sacrifice flies (six) and multiple RBI games (12). She had 17 multiple hit games this season, with two three-hit games and one four-hit performance. McPhail was 20-of-20 in stolen bases, making her 38-of-39 for her career. McPhail was named to the 2007 Food Lion SAC All-Tournament team.

In 2006, McPhail hit .378 with 29 RBI, 35 runs, 15 doubles and her first career home run. The Bulldogs set a new school single-season win record with a 47-11 overall ledger in 2006. The 47 wins included two victories in the 2006 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional tournament. McPhail was a member of the All-Regional Tournament team. She earned first team All-SAC honors in 2005 and 2006.

Senior right-hander Ashley Green finds her name on the Academic All-District list for the second straight year as well, as she was also named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball second team. A Physical Education major, Green carries a 3.69 GPA.

Green leads the NCAA Division II with her 29 wins this season. Her 231 strikeouts rank second in the South Atlantic Conference. Green earned 2007 Food Lion SAC All-Tournament honors for the second consecutive season. She was 4-2 overall with a 1.42 ERA and one shutout in the 2007 tournament, leading the Bulldogs to the finals for the second year in a row.

For the 2007 campaign, Green was 29-15 overall with a 2.21 ERA. She started 42 games and tossed 33 complete games. In 275 1/3 innings, she posted the following statistics ledger: 231 strikeouts, 76 walks and six shutouts. She held her opponents to a .225 batting average in 2007.

A two-time All-SAC performer, Green was honored as the 2006 Food Lion SAC Tournament MVP as she led Wingate to the title and a berth in the NCAA tournament. Her 2006 postseason ERA was 1.24 with 44 strikeouts. Green held opponents to a .171 postseason batting average in 2006. Green made eight starts in the 2006 postseason and tossed two shutouts.

In 2006, Green had a 1.51 ERA in 195 1/3 innings, 176 strikeouts, eight shutouts and held opponents to a .203 batting average. Green tied the school record for wins in a season with 27. She broke her own record in 2007.

Mars Hill's Kristina Osborn, a 5-6 junior catcher from Birmingham, AL (Mountain Brook HS) was selected to the ESPN the Magazine, Academic All-District III second team.

Osborn has a 3.98 grade point average majoring in Biology. She led Mars Hill in batting average (.370), RBI (37), doubles (22) and homeruns (7). In the South Atlantic Conference, Osborn ranked ninth in slugging percentage (.603), eighth in hits (68), third in doubles and eighth in total plate appearances (209).

Lenoir-Rhyne had two playes named to the District III second team. First baseman Leah Krohn (Taylorsville, N.C./Alexander Central HS) and pitcher Casey Hanes (Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman HS) were both honored for their academic and athletic achievements.

Krohn is also a first-team All-SAC honoree and tied the SAC single-season record with 16 home runs and leads the team in RBI with 47 to go along with a .331 batting average. Hanes, a sophomore pitcher, has a 22-6 record on the season with a league-leading 0.95 earned run average and 199 strikeouts. She was the 2006 SAC Pitcher of the Year as a freshman.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and must be a starter or a significant reserve on her team.

The District III College Division is comprised of Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The team is selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The District IV College Division is comprised of Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio and Michigan.

District III
College Division

FIRST TEAM
Catcher Leah English FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE Sr. Tallahassee, Fla. 3.95 Communications/Advertising
Infield Sarah Morse EMORY UNIVERSITY Sr. Topeka, Kan. 3.88 American History & Literature
Infield Megan McPhail WINGATE UNIVERSITY Sr. Wade, N.C. 3.63 Sociology
Infield Natasha Johnson FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY Sr. Fort Pierce, Fla. 3.82 Athletic Training
Infield Courtney Lindler NEWBERRY COLLEGE (SC) Sr. Irmo, S.C. 3.59 Physical Education, Teacher Certification
Outfield Brittany Allsop LYNCHBURG COLLEGE So. Milford, Conn. 4.0 Mathematics
Outfield Katie Veltri NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Sr. Loxahatchee, Fla. 3.53 Sports Management
Outfield Mandy Nixon VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE Jr. Virginia Beach, Va. 3.92 Religious Studies
Pitcher Megan Brown FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE Sr. Carrollton, Ga. 3.97 Physical Education
Pitcher Amy Gillis ROANOKE COLLEGE Sr. Lynchburg, Va. 3.92 Sociology
Designated Player Dacia Ijames PFEIFFER UNIVERSITY Jr. Kernersville, N.C. 3.92 Business Administration

SECOND TEAM
Catcher Kristina Osborn MARS HILL COLLEGE Jr. Birmingham, Ala. 3.98 Biology
Infield Cristina Morgado SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN Jr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 3.42 Photography
Infield Leah Krohn LENOIR-RHYNE COLLEGE Jr. Taylorsville, N.C. 3.71 Religious Studies/Family Development
Infield Jackie Leppla FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE Sr. Odessa, Fla. 3.81 Public Relations
Infield Stacy Sanders ROLLINS COLLEGE Sr. Orlando, Fla. 3.75 English
Outfield Jessica Rouse FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY Sr. Jacksonville, Fla. 3.59 Criminal Forensics
Outfield Hillary Hudgins ROANOKE COLLEGE Jr. Richmond, Va. 3.5 Biology
Outfield Caroline Cubbage LYNCHBURG COLLEGE Sr. Bridgewater, Va. 3.27 Sports Management
Outfield Kelly Glover TAMPA, UNIVERSITY OF Sr. Tampa, Fla. 3.75 Biology
Pitcher Ashley Green WINGATE UNIVERSITY Sr. Charleston, S.C. 3.69 Physical Education
Pitcher Casey Hanes LENOIR-RHYNE COLLEGE So. Richmond, Va. 3.52 Marketing
Designated Player Ally Maddox SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY So. Brandon, Fla. 3.70 Business

District IV
College Division

FIRST TEAM
Catcher Sarah Kish WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY Sr. St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada 3.83 Nutrition and Food Sciences
Infield Laura Kot MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE UNIVERSITY Sr. Tallmadge, Ohio 4.00 Mathematics
Infield Sarah Fetters WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY Jr. Maumee, Ohio 3.98 Communication
Infield Renee Steffen DEFIANCE COLLEGE Sr. Leipsic, Ohio 3.99 Marketing & Management
Infield Jenny Carroll MARIETTA COLLEGE Sr. Lisbon, Ohio 3.63 Athletic Training
Outfield Stephanie Orr TIFFIN UNIVERSITY Sr. Columbus, Ohio 3.83 Forensic Psychology
Outfield Katie Payne SEWANEE, THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH Sr. Avondale Estates, Ga. 3.96 English
Outfield Katie Speaks CARSON-NEWMAN COLLEGE So. Manassas, Va. 4.00 Business Administration
Pitcher Shannon Noder MADONNA UNIVERSITY Sr. Lincoln Park, Mich. 3.97 Criminal Justice/Business Administration
Pitcher Sheena Hundley MOUNT ST. JOSEPH, COLLEGE OF Sr. West Harrison, Ind. 4.00 Nursing
Designated Player Jenny Hess ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE, UNIVERSITY OF Sr. Universal City, Texas 3.68 Marketing

SECOND TEAM
Catcher Kari Hoying MUSKINGUM COLLEGE Jr. Russia, Ohio 3.50 Physical Education
Infield Maranda Mounce LEE UNIVERSITY Sr. Dunlap, Tenn. 3.86 Biology (Pre-Veterinary)
Infield Kendrea Beers OTTERBEIN COLLEGE So. Springfield, Ohio 4.00 Accounting
Infield Crista Buresh GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY Sr. Stanwood, Mich. 3.39 English Language & Literature
Infield Samantha Bridges UNION COLLEGE (KY) Sr. Jackson, Tenn. 3.48 Health and Human Performance
Outfield Ruth Diemer CALVIN COLLEGE Jr. McBain, Mich. 3.96 Business Administration
Outfield Lindsey Romick MARIETTA COLLEGE Sr. Hannibal, Ohio 3.46 Chemistry
Outfield Jackie Burris CAPITAL UNIVERSITY Sr. Beach Park, Ill. 3.47 Nursing
Pitcher Stephanie Cole GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY Jr. Ada, Mich. 3.69 Biomedical Sciences
Pitcher Erin Kenny OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY Jr. Rocky River, Ohio 3.58 Psychology
Designated Player Alisha Zapor JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY Sr. Wintersville, Ohio 3.41 Spanish
Designated Player Elizabeth Smith GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY Jr. Chicago, Ill. 3.42 Psychology